By Kevin Hanson
The Courier-Herald
A consultant's recommendation, public input gleaned from a series of open houses and months of study were neatly tied together last week when the City Council unanimously declared Enumclaw's future should be wrapped around an equestrian theme.
The much-anticipated decision came with a logical caveat, however.
Before City Hall will fully embrace the idea of slowly turning Enumclaw into a Mecca for horse enthusiasts, the plan has to pencil out financially. To make that determination, members of the City Council agreed to spend $20,000 on a feasibility study regarding the idea of turning the King County Fairgrounds into an equestrian center that would rival any in the Pacific Northwest.
Mayor John Wise was thrilled with last week's City Council vote. “It's just huge,” Wise said, noting that promoting Enumclaw to the equestrian industry is “a natural fit.”
The council vote brought to a head a process that began in 2004 when the city determined it needed a unified plan to attract visitors to town, along with the disposable income they bring. A professional consultant was brought on board - the Olympic-based Destination Development - and months of study ensued.
The firm finally recommended Enumclaw take advantage of one thing it's already known for, horses, and go all-out to become the equestrian center of the Northwest. Destination Development reported no community currently fills that role and, through interviews, determined those in the horse community would gladly flock to Enumclaw if facilities existed to meet their needs.
The wide-ranging plan called for everything from installation of traditional, white rail fencing along the city's entryways to a consistent theme for downtown business signs and adoption of a new horse-and-buggy logo. Each element in the plan came with a dollar figure attached and the entire concept totaled tens of millions of dollars.
And, at the heart of the plan - the single item necessary for everything else to work - is the suggestion that the fairgrounds be converted to an equestrian center that could host large events and be a home to service-oriented businesses and retailers catering to the horse crowd.
One fact that has not gone unnoticed is the fairgrounds doesn't belong to the city and is already host to many events, some of those being very popular. Two councilmen went out of their way last week to assure their audience that plans for an equestrian theme would not displace such events as dog shows or the annual Scottish Highland Games.
Following last week's council vote, Wise said the city could begin seeking firms to do a feasibility study within two weeks and the job would likely be completed by fall.
If that study doesn't come back positive, Wise said, the entire equestrian plan would be scrapped.
But that doesn't mean the city would quit trying. Wise said finding some way to consistently attract outside money is essential to Enumclaw's long-term health.
“We cannot keep the city operating as it is unless we find some new money,” he said. If horses aren't the answer, the city will look for another idea, he added.
It's clear, though, that Wise has bought into the equestrian plan. He has pledged to adopt a “country” persona and has taken to wearing western attire when visiting other cities in his mayoral role. For last week's City Council meeting, Wise encouraged city staff to do the same, and council chambers featured plenty of denim, cowboy boots and hats, along with a few oversized belt buckles.
Kevin Hanson can be reached at khanson@courierherald.com.
